Liberal arts college
#16 Best colleges in PennsylvaniaMuhlenberg College
Allentown, PA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $28,905 a year
Median debt at graduation: $25,455 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for accounting in America#74 of 1,132
- Best small colleges in America#60 of 906
- Best colleges for business in America#127 of 1,563
- Best colleges for finance in America#64 of 744
- Best colleges for education in America#115 of 1,318
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#109 of 1,238
Show 18 more
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#171 of 1,829
- Best colleges in America#202 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#159 of 1,418
- Best test-optional colleges in America#173 of 1,481
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#161 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#157 of 1,283
- Best colleges for history in America#160 of 1,247
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#89 of 690
- Best colleges for art and design in America#156 of 1,187
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#164 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#162 of 1,162
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#159 of 1,116
- Best colleges for music in America#155 of 1,063
- Best colleges for computer science in America#111 of 750
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#105 of 704
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in America#69 of 430
- Best colleges for economics in America#157 of 788
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#166 of 704
In Pennsylvania
- Best small colleges in Pennsylvania#6 of 69
- Best colleges for accounting in Pennsylvania#7 of 80
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Pennsylvania#9 of 90
- Best colleges for business in Pennsylvania#11 of 108
- Best colleges for education in Pennsylvania#10 of 85
- Best colleges for finance in Pennsylvania#7 of 58
Show 16 more
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Pennsylvania#15 of 118
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in Pennsylvania#8 of 60
- Best colleges in Pennsylvania#16 of 118
- Best test-optional colleges in Pennsylvania#16 of 113
- Best colleges for psychology in Pennsylvania#15 of 105
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in Pennsylvania#9 of 62
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Pennsylvania#15 of 98
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in Pennsylvania#10 of 60
- Best colleges for English in Pennsylvania#15 of 87
- Best colleges for history in Pennsylvania#15 of 80
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Pennsylvania#15 of 80
- Best colleges for chemistry in Pennsylvania#15 of 77
- Best colleges for mathematics in Pennsylvania#15 of 77
- Best colleges for art and design in Pennsylvania#15 of 74
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in Pennsylvania#15 of 62
- Best colleges for economics in Pennsylvania#14 of 53
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.82%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.90%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,343 · ACT 31
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.9 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$20,619
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $77,270 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 1,788 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 42% · Women 58% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 16% |
| Total students | 1,818 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $28,905 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $77,270 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $25,455 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 82% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 72% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 73% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 80% |
| First-year retention | 90% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $69,107 |
| Admission rate | 72% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $50 |
| Early decision deadline College website, 2026-27 | November 16 |
| Early action deadline College website, 2026-27 | December 1 |
| Regular decision deadline College website, 2026-27 | February 1 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,341 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 21% |
| Average SAT | 1343 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 640–710 |
| SAT math | 610–700 |
| ACT composite | 29–33 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Accounting | |
| Mathematics | |
| Finance | |
| Economics | |
| Biology | |
| Business administration | |
| Political science | |
| Psychology | |
| Communication studies | |
| Dance | |
| Theatre | |
| English |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Anthropology, Area studies, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Computer science, Computing and information science, Film and video, Fine arts, History, Interdisciplinary studies, International relations, Management information systems, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Neuroscience, Other education, Philosophy, Physical Sciences, Physics, Public health, Religious studies, Romance languages, Sociology, Sustainability Studies, Writing and rhetoric.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Visual and performing arts | |
| Biology | |
| Psychology | |
| Social sciences |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 1% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 3% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $14,548 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · Centennial Conference |
| ROTC | Army |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 9 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 24%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 53%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $176,833IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 92% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE)About 5 miles away · about 15 minutes by car |
| Nearest major airport | Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)About 52 miles away |
| Town population | 125,976Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | PhiladelphiaAbout 45 miles away · about 1 hour 15 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 30°F in January · 76°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Allentown International Airport, PA, about 5 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.56 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 1.12 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.56 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Muhlenberg College’s Compass Score?
- Excellent (grade A-). It ranks in the top 11% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Muhlenberg College cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $28,905 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Muhlenberg College?
- Muhlenberg College admitted 72% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Muhlenberg College’s graduates do?
- 82% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $69,107; the median federal debt at graduation is $25,455.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 214175
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (arts & sciences)
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Evangelical Lutheran Church
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